Rotary disc cutter for railroad trackway



March 26, 1957 A. L. LARSON 3 ROTARY msc CUTTER FOR RAILROAD TRACKWAY Filed Aug. 12, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 2 F/G. Z 55 65 0 F 64 I j 3 69 37 5 i E v I l W W 7 H t 93 l l l War I a 94 L 75 76 95 m i imm.

INVENTOR. 2 76, 3 BAYLE/A/ L, Mesa/v A TTOZIVEYS March 26, 1957 A. L. LARSON 2,786,320

ROTARY DISC CUTTER FOR RAILROAD TRACKWAY Filed Aug. 12, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR. F/G 9 ALa/lv .4. 1,4260

AWOZ/VEYS United States Patent ROTARY DISC CUTTER FOR RAILROAD TRACKWAY Albin L. Larson, Americus, Ga.

Application August 12, 1955, Serial No. 527,923 3 Claims. (Cl. 56-230) The present invention relates to an apparatus for clearing a railroad trackway of weeds.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for clearing a railroad trackway of weeds which may be tractively moved on the trackway to cut weeds from between the rails of the trackway and along the outside of each rail. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for clearing a railroad trackway of weeds for mounting upon a push car and having portions extending outwardly from the sides of the push car which are quickly and easily detached therefrom so that the apparatus with the push car may be stored in the conventional push car shed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for clearing a railroad trackway of weeds, of simple structure, sturdy construction, one easily manufactured and assembled of common materials and with ordinary tools, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a partial plan view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a detailed view greatly enlarged taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a detailed view greatly enlarged taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a view in section greatly enlarged taken on the line 66 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a detailed view partially in section greatly enlarged taken on the line 77 of Figure 1,

Figure 8 is a partial plan view greatly enlarged taken on the line 88 of Figure 1, and

Figure 9 is a sectional view greatly enlarged taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the railroad trackway weed-clearing apparatus of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a mobile support 11 adapted to be tractively moved on a railroad trackway the rails of which are indicated by the reference numerals 12 and 13, the ties supporting the rails being shown in Figures 1 and 2 and indicated by the reference numeral 14. A horizontally-disposed frame 15 is positioned on each side of the support 11 and has the portion adjacent one end thereof detachably secured to the support 11. The means which secures the frames 15 to the adjacent portions of the support is seen best in Figure 8 and comprises a plate 16 having a plurality of upstanding bosses 17 each provided with an aperture through which extends a fastening pin 18, there being provided apertures in the 2,786,320 Patented Mar. 26, 1957 free ends of a pair of extensions 19 and 21 secured to the adjacent end portions 22 and 23 of the frame 15.

Referring to Figure 4, it will be seen that a platform 24 is positioned within the frame 15 and is connected to the frame for upward and downward movement, the means connecting the platform 24 to the frame including a base plate 25 extending over a portion of the frame 15 adjacent the outer end 15 of the frame 15, a plurality of vertically-disposed guideways arranged in spaced relation dependingly carried by the base plate 25, the guideways being four in number and indicated by the reference numerals 26, 27, 28, and 29. The guideways 26 to 29, inclusive, are shown in dotted lines in Figure 8 to be positioned one adjacent each corner of the base plate 25 and spaced therefrom. A post 31 is vertically mounted within each one of the vertically-disposed guideways 26 to 29, inclusive, and has its upper end secured to the under face of the platform 24 and carries on its lower ends a horizontally-disposed adjacent portion of a plate 32.

A vertically-disposed rotatable shaft 33 is journaled in the platform 24 intermediate its ends and has a horizontally-disposed cutter 34 positioned adjacent its lower end and secured to the lower end of the shaft for rotation therewith. The base plate 25 and the plate 32 are provided with apertures through which the shaft 33 extends and a guard 35 is dependingly secured to the plate 32 over the cutter 34, the guard 35 having a skirt 36 extending along its periphery except for a cut-out portion indicated by the reference numeral 37.

A driven means is carried by the platform 24 and is operatively connected to the upper end of each of the shafts 33 for effecting the rotation of the latter, such means embodying a bevel gear 38 on the upper end of each of the shafts 33 in mesh with another bevel gear 39 secured to one end of a drive shaft 41, the end of the drive shaft 41 and the upper end of the shaft 33 being mounted in bearings 42 and 43, respectively, in the housing 44, as shown most clearly in Figure 9. Each of the driven means is indicated generally by the reference numeral 45.

A drive means is mounted upon the mobile support 11 and is operatively connected to each of the driven means 45, the drive means including a universal joint 46 on each end of a telescopically arranged drive bar 47, one universal joint 46 being connected to the drive shaft 41 and the other universal joint 46 being connected to the adjacent end of a power shaft 48 supported upon the mobile support 11 in bearings 49 and 51. A main pulley 52 is mounted upon the power shaft 48 adjacent the bearings 51 and is connected by a belt 53 to a drive pulley 54 on the shaft of an internal combustion engine indicated generally by the reference numeral 55. Means is provided and is operatively connected to each of the platforms 24 for effecting the independent movement of the platforms 24 upwardly and downwardly carrying along with the platforms the respective shafts 33 and their cutters 34, such means embodying an inverted U-shaped yoke 56 having the ends of its legs secured to the upper face of each of the platforms 24, links 57 connecting the bight of each of the yokes 56 to the adjacent end of a lever 58, the latter being pivoted intermediate its ends upon the center portion of the bight of an inverted U-shaped standard 59. The other end of the lever 58 is provided with a handle 61 and the portion of the lever 58 between the handle 61 and the standard 59 is received in the bifurcated upper end of an upright frame 62 as shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 7. A pin 63 is horizontally disposed and extends through apertures in the bifurcated upper end of the frame 62 and is biased to the position shown in solid lines in Figure 7 by a spring 64,

a sleeve 65 supporting the pin 63 and thespring 64.

An operating liaridle66* is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to one end of-a bar 67 and has its other end connected to the pin 63 to pull the pin to the dotted line position shown in Figure 7 whenever it is desired to release the lever 58 from the dotted line position indicated by the reference numeral'SS' in Figure 7 to the full line position. The bar 67 restrains the upward movement of the lever 58 in which-position the cutter 34 is in its lowered position shown in dotted lines in Figure l. The one end of the pin 63 adjacent the lever 58 is cut on a diagonal as indicated by the reference numeral 63 and permits the operator of the weed-clearing apparatus of the present invention to manually raise either one of the shafts 33 with its attached cutter34, the lever 58 engaging the diagonal surface of the pin 63 to move the pin outwardly through the sleeve 65, permitting t. e lever 53 to be moved to its lowest position with respect to the frame 62.

Means is provided for cutting the weeds between the rails 12 and 13 and consists in an inverted U-shaped hanger 69 positionedon the support 11 intermediate the sides of the support 11, the'hanger having a guideway 71 on each of its legs adjacent the free end thereof, as seen most clearly in Figure 2. An inverted U-shaped support member 72 is positioned within the hanger 69 with its legs slidably mounted in the guidewaysfl for upward and downward movement and another platform 73 extends between the legs of the support member 72 and is connected to the legs of the support member 72 for movement therewith. A housing 74 is carried by the platform 73 and has within it similar bevel gears as those shown in detail in Figurc9, one of the gears being fixedly secured to tne upper end of a vertically-disposed rotatable shaft 75 having a cutter 76 on its lower end, and the other of the gears within the housing 7 4 being mounted upon one end of a shaft 77 carrying a pulley 78 connected by a belt 79 to a drive pulley 81 upon the power shaft 48 for drivably rotating the'shaft 75 and its attached cutter 76.

Means is provided for raising and lowering the support member 72 relating to the hanger 69 and consists in an upright threaded shaft 82 having a handwheel 83 on its upper end, the shaft 82 being threaded through a collar secured to the hanger 69 and being journaled and connected to the upper end of the support member 72 in the center of the bight of the same.

An idler pulley 85 is mounted upon the lower end of an arm 36 connected to an operating lever 37 for pulling the idling pulley 85 into a belt-tightening position with respectto the belt 53 thereby providing a clutch means for controlling'the rotation of the shafts 33 and 75.

One end of the mobile support is provided with a hitch'means dd for attachment to towing vehicle, the mobile support being the frame and wheels of a push car of conventional size and construction as used presently on operating railroads. A handlebar extends along the one end of the push car and is indicated by the reference numeral 89, and provides a means for manually lifting the mobile support or push car from the rails .12

and l3'when'it is desired toshift the mobile support or push car from one set of rails to another or to a place of'storage. Other handles formed from angle iron pieces 90 are hingedly connected to each of the side edges of each of the frames 15 and have grips 91 on their free ends and provide a means for lifting the frames 15 when the frames 15 are disconnected from the push car for storage, there being a stop 92 on each frame 15 preventing swinging movement of'the angle iron pieces 96 above the horizontal position.

In use, the railroad trackway weed-clearing apparatus of the present invention may be connected to a portion of a railroad'track motor car and the cutters 34 may be lowered to the position desired over the ends'of the ties the rails 12 and '13 to cut the weeds growing therebetween, the height ofthe cutters 34 and 76 being controlled by the levers 58 and the shaft 82, respectively.

In Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that a bearing 93 supports the shaft 75 intermediate its ends below the floor of the mobile support or push car, the bearing 93 being secured to a channel member 94 extending transversely of the push car between the longitudinal means 95 of the pushcar.

What is claimed is:

l. A railroad trackway weed-clearing apparatus comprising a mobile support adapted to be tractively moved on a railroad trackway, a horizontally-disposed .frame positioned on each side of said support and having the portion adjacent one end detachably secured to said support, a platform positioned within each of said frames and connected to said frame for upward and downward movement, a vertically-disposed rotatable shaft journaled in each of said platforms intermediate its ends and having a horizontally-disposed cutter positioned adjacent the lower end of said shaft and secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, driven means carried by each of said platforms and operatively connected to the upper end of the adjacent one of said shafts for effecting the rotation of the latter, a drive means mounted on said support and operatively connected to each of said driven means, a hanger positioned on said support intermediate the sides thereof, another platform positioned below said hanger and connected thereto for upward and downward movement, another vertically disposed rotatable shaft journaled in said another platform intermediate its ends and having a horizontally-disposed cutter positioned adjacent the lower end of said another shaft and secured'to said another shaft for rotation therewith, another driven means carried by said another platform connecting the upper end of said another shaft to said drive means, and means operatively connected to each of said platforms for'effecting the independent movements of said platforms.

2. A railroad trackway weed-clearing apparatus comprising a mobile support adapted to be tractively moved on a railroad trackway, a horizontally-disposed frame positioned on each side of said support and having the portion adjacent one end detachably secured to said support, a base plate extending over a portion of each of said frames adjacent the other end of the latter, a plurality of vertically-disposed guideways arranged in spaced relation dependingly carried by each of said base plates, a platform positioned above each of said base plates within the adjacent frame and connected to the adjacent guideways for upward and downward movement, a vertically-disposed rotatable shaft journaled in each of said platforms intermediate its ends and having a horizontally-disposed cutter positioned adjacent the lower .end of said shaft and secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, driven means carried by each of said platforms and operatively connected to the upper end of the adjacent one of said shafts for efiecting the rotation of the latter, a drive means mounted upon said support'and operatively connected to each of said driven means, a hanger posi tioned on saidsupport intermediate the sides thereof, another platform positioned below said hanger and con nected thereto for upward and downward movements, another vertically-disposed rotatable shaft journaled in said another platform intermediate its ends and having a horizontally-disposed cutter positioned adjacent the lower end of said another shaft and secured to Said another shaft for rotation therewith, another driven means carried by said another platform and operatively connecting the upper end of said another shaft to said drive means,

and means operatively connected to each of said platforms for eifecting the independent movements of said platforms.

'3. A railroad trackway Weed-clearing-apparatuscomon a railroad trackway, a horizontally-disposed frame positioned on each side of said support and having the portion adjacent one end detachably secured to said support, a platform positioned within each of said frames and connected to said frame for upward and downward movements, a vertically-disposed rotatable shaft journaled in each of said platforms intermediate its ends and having a horizontally-disposed cutter positioned adjacent the lower end of said shaft and secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, driven means carried by each of said platforms and operatively connected to the upper end of the adjacent one of said shafts for effecting the rotation of the latter, a drive means mounted on said support and operatively connected to each of said driven means, an inverted U-shaped hanger positioned on said support intermediate the sides thereof, a guideway on each of the legs of said hanger adjacent the free end thereof, an inverted U-shaped support member positioned within said hanger and having its legs slidably mounted in said guideways for upward and downward movement, another platform extending between the legs of said support member and connected to the legs of said support member for movement therewith, another vertically-disposed rotatable shaft journaled in said another platform intermediate its ends and having a horizontally-disposed cutter positioned adjacent the lower end of said another shaft and secured to said another shaft for rotation therewith, another driven means carried by said another platform and operatively connecting the upper end of said another shaft to said drive means, and means operatively connected to each of said first-named platforms and to said support member for effecting the independent movements of said first-named platforms and said support member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 647,535 Smith Apr. 17, 1900 842,199 Herrick et a1. Jan. 29, 1907 1,172,175 Spitzer Feb. 15, 1916 1,851,337 Walker Mar. 29, 1932 2,539,934 Smith et a1. Jan. 30, 1951 2,681,536 Kuhary et a1. June 22, 1954 

